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The world was ending.
Or maybe it was more accurate to say it already ended.
Black holes were eating up the world, slowly. It could have happened all at once, an entire world gone in the blink of an eye. That was how Evolt made it seem like it would happen, but it seemed just crumble away at the pace of molasses, one life and structure at a time.
And in the middle of it all stood Sento Kiryuu.
He was the one who was supposed to stop it, to carry out his father’s plans and make sure everyone reached a world where none of this ever happened.
It sounded like an impossible feat. Obviously, because it was impossible. And if it wasn’t then, it was too late to find any other way. Kazumi and Gentoku died in vain, and so did so many others. Pandora’s Box was Evolt’s, and debris and bodies were getting sucked towards the sky, breaking and getting pulled apart.
The rush of the cold winds and everything getting pulled upwards slashed through Sento’s ears, his hair getting blown into a mess. He made no effort to protect himself from any of it, just standing there while hugging himself, away from the people he had let down.
Away from the people who had died because of him.
This is all our fault, Katsuragi said, his voice echoing in the white headspace. If only we were smarter…if only we were stronger. Dad believed in us and we failed him. We failed humanity…
“Sento.”
Even through the noise in the air, he heard Banjou’s voice, cutting through Katsuragi’s. He chose not to respond. He had nothing to say to him. Why was he even here?
“Sento!”
He couldn’t ignore the strong hands grabbing his shoulder. He slapped at it, but Banjou was persistent, turning him to face him.
“Idiot! Why’d you run off by yourself?!” Banjou exclaimed. “I had to leave Misora and Sawa-san to find you.”
“Well, you should have stayed with them.” Sento jerked back, walked a few steps away from him. “Why would you even want to find me…”
“Are you for real?! Look up at the fuckin’ sky!” Banjou pointed up at the sky. “We’re almost outta time!”
“We are out of time!” Sento yelled, throwing his arms up. “I failed! The world is done for because of me! If only I was stronger…if I hadn’t given Kazumi the—”
“Sento, shut up! Just shut the hell up!” Banjou grabbed him by his shoulders and shaking him. “Are you the asshole up there makin’ those black holes?”
“No but I may as well—”
“YOU’RE NOT! If we’re all about to die, I don’t want you dyin’ while blamin’ yourself! I’ve seen way too fuckin’ much of that and I don’t want that to be the way I see you go out!” Banjou was screaming, his eyes growing misty as the wind was kicking up, strong enough to push at his braids.
Sento stared at him silently, soon putting a hand on his hand. “…I don’t know how else I can present myself to you at a time like this.”
“I just want to see you! The Sento who’s been with me all this time! The Sento who’s so smart yet dumb as hell! The one who thinks he’s the hottest shit but still cares so much about everybody else!” Banjou’s voice was cracking, tears now rolling down his cheeks. “Let me see that Sento! Before it’s all over!”
“I can’t be that Sento! There is no Sento!” Sento screamed, dashing away, only to instantly crumble to the ground on his hands and knees.
Sobs suddenly wracked his body, heaving as tears rained down, seeping into the dirt.
“Just go,” he choked out. “Leave me be…”
“No,” Banjou’s tone was firm.
“I said go.”
“And I’m sayin’ no.” He got down next to him, slinging an arm over him and pulling him close. “God, Sento…Why do you think I’d ever leave you? We’re partners, aren’t we?”
“What does that matter now?”
“It’ll always matter. Even when there’s nothing left.”
Sento’s fingers curled into the dirt, watching as even the small bits of earth were already getting sucked into the black holes above. There wasn’t much time left…
And what the hell was he doing, spending that time throwing a tantrum?
“At least go back for Misora, man,” Banjou’s voice was gruff and thick with tears. “You’re her family. She’s scared. The least you can do is be there for her now.”
“I failed her…and you…”
“Stop. Stop fuckin’ saying that. She doesn’t care if you failed. She just wants you.”
“And what about you?”
“I fuckin’ want you too…Do I really gotta make this more obvious?” Banjou held Sento closer, outright embracing him, their temples pressing against each other. “The world is literally ending and you still don’t realize…”
Still don’t realize what?
Sento’s heart was pounding.
It couldn’t possibly be that…It felt ridiculous to even consider it.
Though then again, maybe he would have once thought the world ending because of his failure would be ridiculous.
And maybe Katsuragi thought the Sky Wall rising and the world hurling into chaos was ridiculous ten years ago.
Maybe absolutely everything about what had happened leading up to this was ridiculous, but it didn’t matter that it was ridiculous because it was all about to end anyway.
May as well see if this was one last ridiculous thing that happened to be true. One last winning formula.
“Banjou,” Sento weakly croaked out.
“Yeah?” Banjou pulled away enough to look at him.
Sento nearly chickened out, once he saw the look on his face. But it was now or never. “Kiss me.”
Banjou kissed him.
Sento hadn’t really thought ahead, only realizing once Banjou’s lips were on his that he had no idea how to kiss. He figured Banjou already had a lot of experience with Kasumi, a fact that just let the guilt of all that had been lost until now pang in his heart. But as the kiss prolonged and deepened, that guilt faded away.
He was glad to know what this felt like, before it was all over. He wished he had been able to ask Banjou to do this days ago, or even months ago. He wished he had been able to tell him to his face just how much he meant to him, how he never could have gone as far as he did without him.
They couldn’t go any further now, in saving the world or in navigating whatever these feelings were. But at least they could still be together.
Banjou pulled away breathlessly. The winds were deafening, ripping closure structures into the black holes.
Even through the winds, Sento heard Banjou’s plea, “Go back with me. We can all be together, ‘til the end.”
Sento nodded.
He let Banjou help him up. He kept an arm around him as they began to walk together through the ruins to find Misora and Sawa. Hopefully there would be just enough time to reach them.
Sento felt Banjou’s warmth next to him, the only relief from the chilling, ruthless winds. His only shelter from the dying world.
Even if they didn’t make it in time, even if their lives were to be snuffed out any moment now, at least they still had each other. They would stay together, until the end.